Consciousness, Matter and the Invisible
By
Leó Stefánsson
BA Visual Arts, Iceland Academy of the Arts, 2011
A THESIS ESSAY SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF APPLIED ARTS
in
Visual Arts
EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN
© Leó Stefánsson, 2013
Abstract
In my work in the MAA program I have focused on bringing the invisible/inaudible into
the scope of human consciousness. Human perception is limited to our senses, and in
this thesis I will investigate how we can allow for the perception of the invisible/inaudible
through the method of constructing translational systems that transform signals from
one state to another by applying a range of tools. In order to approach a thing we
cannot see, we have to consider both the physical world, in which the thing exists, and
how the thing is perceived in consciousness. The idea of mind and matter existing
independently of each other is traced back to René Descartés and his method of doubt
and logic which excluded the spirit from the physical world which he described as
motion in three dimensions where everything was made of matter. His work laid the
grounds for reductionism in neuropsychology which led to the idea that the human
brain, and eventually consciousness, could be reduced to simple interactions of units of
matter. This allowed Alan Turing to describe his theoretical computational device which
had states synonymous to human mental states and eventually resulted in the creation
of the modern digital computer. In response to the reductionist view of consciousness,
Amit Goswami describes what he calls monistic idealism; a model of the world where
matter and consciousness are not incompatible terms but are parts of a unified system.
Wassily Kandinsky used color, or frequencies of light, in combination with shape to
portrait objectless ideas originating from within himself, allowing the spirit a physical
representation through his consciousness. I look at my work in the same terms, but
instead of using frequencies of color I use frequencies of sound to represent spiritual
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values. I also draw some of my methods and inspiration from James Turrell and the way
he emphasizes the human perceptual apparatus in his work. In my own work I construct
parascientific experiments that investigate physics, consciousness and their
relationship. These experiments resulted in the creation of systems constructed for the
analysis and reconstruction of units of time, or frequency. My artworks discussed in the
thesis are constructed around the concept of time, which I consider to be the primary
aspect of my work.
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Table of Contents
Abstract! !
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List of Tables!
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List of Illustrations!
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List of Symbols and Abbreviations!
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Acknowledgements !
ix
01. Introduction!
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02. Consciousness, Perception and the Invisible/Inaudible!
3
02.1 Chapter overview!
3
02.2 Consciousness!
3
02.3 Mind and Matter - Cartesian Dualism!
4
02.4 Reductionism and the Mechanical Mind!
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02.5 The Brain as Machine!
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02.6 Consciousness and Physics - Monistic Idealism!
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03. Time Aesthetics!
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03.1 A System Aesthetic!
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03.2 Time as medium!
17
03.3 Kandinsky - Nonphysical forms!
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03.4 Paranormal / Parascience / Telepathy!
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03.5 James Turrell and the removal of visual reference!
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03.7 Brain to Computer Interface (BCI)!
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03.8 Sensory input!
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04. Parascientific techniques: Software, Visualization, Sonification
and Fractal Mapping!
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04.1 Computer programming!
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04.2 Data sets!
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04.3 Fourier-transformation!
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04.4 Waves!
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04.5 Comparative signal analysis!
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04.6 Mapping and Remapping!
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04.7 Fractals and Fibonacci sequences!
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05. Artworks !
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05.1 BrainTV!
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05.2 Observations!
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05.4 Thingogram!
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05.4.1 Thingogram v.1!
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05.5.2 Thingogram v.2!
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05.5.3 Thingogram v.3!
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06. Conclusion!
61
Works Cited!
65
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List of Tables
Table 1. Brainwave frequencies and associated mental states. !
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vi
List of Illustrations
Fig. 1 A single form can be perceived in multiple ways.! !
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Fig. 2 We perceive complete shapes where there are none.!
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Fig. 3. Sierpinskis triangle rendered with Processing. !
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Fig. 4 A fibonacci spiral.! !
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Fig. 5. BrainTV displaying a complex signal.!!
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Fig. 6 BrainTV installation view.!!
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Fig. 7 Observations no. 3, Waves.!
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Fig. 8 Observations no. 4, Traffic structure.! !
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Fig. 9 Observations no. 7, Birds and breathing.!
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Fig.10 An accordion filtering a white noise signal! !
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Fig. 11 A spectral image of a hat.!
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Fig. 13 A screenshot of the NSSA algorithm. !
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Fig. 14 Thingogram v.3 installation view.!
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Fig. 15 Thingogram v.3 flight-case detail.!
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Fig. 16 Instructions on the monitor.!
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Fig.12 A spectral image of an accordion!
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List of Symbols and Abbreviations
EEG: Electroencephalograph
Hz: Hertz, Cycles per second
NSSA: Natural Sound Synthesis Algorithm
ϕ: The mathematic constant Phi
viii
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for guiding me through the process of writing
this thesis. Without them this thesis would not be what it is.
My wife Heiða who provided me with limitless support through my studies.
My daughter Nína Heiðrós who always puts things in perspective.
My parents who made all of this possible.
My supervisor David Bogen who helped me put a large idea into perspective and
introduced me to new ideas while guiding me through the writing process.
Teachers and class mates for encouraging me to pursue what matters to me the most.
Dennis Burke and Dušan I. Bjelic for reviewing my thesis, challenging my position and
guiding me towards future research.
ix
01. Introduction
In this thesis I will lay out important ideas about the relationship between the mind and
matter with an emphasis on the invisible aspects of those terms. We can observe our
own minds and identify different mental states, but we can not observe the
consciousness of another being.
!
I am intrigued by the things I can not see. The invisible world located outside the
scope of human perception; how we can observe the existence of magnetism,
electricity, inaudible sound and invisible light (among other things) indirectly through
their effects on physical matter, including the effect on the instruments we use to
measure these forces. The natural sciences commonly assume the world is made of
physical matter and that consciousness, the internal world, should be excluded from the
description of the external world. This view is largely due to the mind-matter dualism
introduced by René Descartés which was recently called into question by physicist Amit
Goswami, who proposes that matter and consciousness are part of the same construct.
This does not invalidate the natural sciences nor does it raise consciousness above the
physical realm, but it allows consciousness to be a part of our integral understanding of
the natural sciences.
!
In Newtonian physics, every force has an equal and opposite force. Here, the
exchange of energy is what enables matter to move from one place to the another, or
shift between states. Since it is difficult, if not impossible, to measure consciousness
itself, it is incompatible with the Cartesian/Newtonian model. However, if we assume
consciousness resides in the brain, and the brain emits an electrical signal,
1
consciousness can be considered to be emitting subtle energy, making it a physical
artifact of consciousness. This contradicts the perceived split between mind and matter
and got me thinking about consciousness existing outside the human brain, in other
types of systems operating at different frequencies. My early artworks incorporate the
signal generated by the human brain into systems of translation, while my later work
focuses on signals originating in the physical world.
!
In the following chapters I will start by laying out ideas pertaining to the mind-
matter paradigm and how modern technology has shaped our perception of
consciousness and physics. I will also discuss my aesthetics surrounding time, which I
consider to be my primary medium. I will provide a brief history of the understanding of
time and discuss important historical and artistic precedents for my work. Before I
discuss my own artworks I provide an overview of the technical aspects of my work
including methods of computer programming and signal analysis.
2
02. Consciousness, Perception and the Invisible/
Inaudible
02.1 Chapter overview
This chapter addresses the relationship of the human mind to what we call physical
matter. I will begin with a personal contemplation of my own consciousness from which I
perceive the world and how I see it in relationship to my artwork. To gain a better
understanding of the mind-body paradigm, I will look at the implications of Cartesian
dualism and its impact on subsequently emerging ideas. Descartes proposition that the
mind is non-physical and everything is made of matter paved the way for reductionism:
the belief that complex systems, including the human brain, can be described as the
sum of their physical parts. The reductionist view of consciousness is that it is merely an
epiphenomenon of physical interactions. If the reductionist view is correct, and
succeeds in describing consciousness as a complex system, it should be possible to
construct an artificial consciousness, or at least intelligence, from a physical system. To
challenge the reductionist view, and to provide the argument that the mind is irreducible
to matter, I will talk briefly about quantum mechanics and how contemporary physics
can help us understand the relationship between matter and consciousness.
02.2 Consciousness
I can state that I am a conscious being. I perceive the physical world through my five
senses and I can distinguish the senses because I experience them differently and they
relate to aspects of the physical world. When I hear something, it is a representation of
physical atoms of air vibrating at a combination of frequencies. My eyes do not sense
3
the physical matter of the things themselves but rather the light reflected off of them.
!
Like sound, light exists as a wave in a range of frequencies, but in a higher
spectrum. The color of a perceived object depends on the frequency of the light
reflected off of its surface and my ability to receive that frequency. With extended
technological capabilities to sense our surroundings, we can apply a range of tools to
measure forces and frequencies outside the perceivable spectrum. These
measurements can be visualized and sonified - bringing otherwise imperceptible
realities into the range of human perception, enabling us to be conscious of them.
!
I consider my work a physical extension of my consciousness. I use methods and
tools commonly used by scientists and artists alike to bring invisible and unnoticed
things to perception. It is through consciousness that we make sense of both our inner
and outer reality, but it is also through consciousness that we shape the material world.
This shaping is a collective effort of all consciousness, but our problem is, that in
scientific terms, we don't really know much about consciousness itself. It is not yet
quantifiable.
02.3 Mind and Matter - Cartesian Dualism
René Descartes (1596–1650) is one of the most influential philosophers to emerge in
western history. Today, many of his ideas are widely accepted and commonly applied
within the sciences. His most fundamental idea is that the world exists as matter in
motion independently of the mind, which is considered an immaterial body whose prime
essence is thought. The thinking essence that is the I or the self only observes the
physical world through the physical senses, which Descartes considers to be deceptive.
4
To circumvent the senses Descartes applies a systematic approach of doubt, where
everything that comes through the senses is to be doubted and truths can be revealed
only by applying logic, which to him was a property of the mind exclusive to human
beings (Smith, Descartes' Life and Work). Using his logic and doubt, Descartes came to
the conclusion that he owed his entire existence to his own thinking. His famous
proposition Cogito, ergo sum signifies that the only thing we can ever really be certain of
is our own thought (Kenny 528). These words establish a baseline from which
Descartes derives his subsequent logic; If he were not thinking he would not be aware
of his own existence which leads to the conclusion that he is a "substance whose
essence is to think" (528). In his 1639 volume Meditations, he states that the essence
of matter could be apprehended by innate ideas, independently of any sensory image
(Smith).
!
In 1633 Descartes was going to publish a manuscript, titled The World, on "the
nature of light, the sun and the fixed starts which emit it; the heavens which transmit it;
the planets, the comets and the earth which reflect it; all the terrestrial bodies which are
either colored or transparent of luminous; and Man its spectator." (Kenny 528) However,
he withdrew the publication after learning that "Galileo had been condemned for
upholding the Copernican system". (528) Some of these ideas were later published in
Discourse, which provides the reader with two key ideas: that human beings are
thinking substances and that matter is extension in motion (528). He also included
descriptions of planetary movements and laws of physical interactions, and most
importantly his geometry, but to avoid condemnation from the church he stated that the
observed interactions of matter are bound to the laws of physics, which are enforced by
5
God. For Descartes, "Whenever I perceive something clearly and distinctly, I am
assured of it's truth." In this argument, the only thing that can enable him to be a
thinking being, and to perceive "clearly and distinctly" is God. He reasons that because
the world is perfect, it must include a perfect being which consists of all perfections
(529).
!
To describe the physical interaction of matter, Descartes described a system
where a physical body has four fundamental properties; width, height, depth and
motion. He renounced previous ideas that matter exists as fragments of matter in a void
and proposed that everything is matter and can be described in terms of these four
parameters. Other qualities of objects, such as smell, feel and color are considered
secondary properties of the object (Hatfield) thus limiting the need for the senses and
further establishing the importance of mind and logic.
!
Although Descartes considered intellect to be of a higher order than the physical
senses, he did not entirely discard them as useless. Rather, the physical senses are
useful for determining if something in the material world is good or bad for your body
(Kenny 529). In other words physical senses aid the survival of the physical body.
However, Descartes did not attribute logic and thinking to inhabit the bodies of animals
and considered them to react mechanically to their surroundings. He introduced the
idea that animal bodies are machines that are governed by the laws of matter alone
(Hatfield). Descartes also made an analogy of the world as a mechanism, or machine,
that is governed by the laws of matter. This paved the way for reductionism in the
natural sciences.
6
02.4 Reductionism and the Mechanical Mind
At the core of the reductionist world view is the belief that a complex system is nothing
more than the sum of its physical parts. In order to come to a full understanding of the
physical world, the reductionist strives to compartmentalize complex systems into
smaller, atomic units. As the units break down into smaller parts, they are expected to
clarify a property of the reduced system. Reductionism remained a generally accepted
philosophical aim of philosophy and the natural sciences for a long time, especially in
psychology (Gregory, 207). In the period of associationist psychology it was commonly
believed that consciousness could be reduced to simple units of sensations or ideas
(538).
!
In opposition to this atomic reductionist view, Gestalt theory proposed that
perceived reality was more than just the sum of its parts. The main criticism is that some
phenomena cannot be fully explained by the interactions of physical states and
perceived physical states. As an aid to this argument, Gestalt psychologists presented a
range of optical illusions to illustrate discrepancies in visual perception (373). One of
these illusions, named after Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin, is a silhouette that can
either be perceived as a vase or two opposing faces depending on the focus of the
viewer, which indicates that perception of the same physical matter is not always the
same. (Wikipedia, Rubin Vase)
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Fig. 1 A single form can be perceived in multiple ways. (Wikipedia, Figure-ground
(perception) )
!
Another phenomenon can be demonstrated with a series of simple forms with
discontinuous lines. Although the images are incomplete, the shapes they indicate can
be perceived seamlessly.
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Fig. 2 We perceive complete shapes where there are none. (Wikipedia,
Gestalt_psychology)
!
Despite Gestalt psychologists' attempt to produce a holistic view, psychology
started to move more towards reductionism. Instead of the reductionist atomic model,
gestalt theory proposed that interactions could be explained in terms of units, or groups
of atomic parts. This method essentially abstracts a group of reduced atomic functions
into a larger unit, which is then generalized and regarded as an atomic unit (Slowik).
!
As reductionism has progressed and succeeded in discovering smaller units of
matter we move closer to the belief that consciousness can be explained in terms of
neural activity in the brain. Ian Glynn argues that consciousness is always associated
with neural activity of the brain. This neural activity can be altered by changing the
sensory input or introducing chemical compounds to the brain that can result in a
change of consciousness (Gregory 211).
!
Although Descartes only compared animals' minds to a mechanical machine the
idea was eventually applied to humans as well. Before the construction of the first
computer, Alan Turing described a theoretical machine, the Turing Machine, that was
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capable of switching between states analogous to mental states. This intelligent
machine would theoretically be able to function in the same way as a human mind. It
would have artificial intelligence. If thought is in fact algorithmic, we could easily come to
the conclusion that the brain is a kind of Turing machine, a mechanism of electrical
mental states.
02.5 The Brain as Machine
The idea that the human mind works like a computer can be traced back to Alan Turing,
who wrote about computers and artificial intelligence before the existence of the first
modern electronic computer. He described very accurately how the machine would
process information - but it was only later that engineers invented the parts needed to
build such a machine. Turings' machine, which was a hypothetical machine at the time,
consists of a reader head and potentially infinite magnetic tape that rolls through the
magnetic reader. The tape would be divided evenly in sections which would all have one
of many possible symbols. The symbols would trigger different modes of calculation,
each having their own ways of reading the subsequent symbols. For Turing, these
states (or programs) were equivalent to different mental states of humans.
!
Turing hypothesized that by constructing a logic machine and giving it the right
instructions it would be possible to construct an intelligence indistinguishable from a
human. Today [N] years later, a form of artificial intelligence is already controlling many
aspects of our daily lives - but no algorithm I am currently aware of can perfectly imitate
the human mind. In the field of AI the ultimate test is the Turing test, named after Alan
Turing himself. The test involves asking the computer a series of questions while not
10
knowing if the reply is coming from the algorithm or a human sitting at another
computer. If the AI algorithm responses can not be told apart from the human it passes
the test.
!
It can not be denied that reductionism facilitated the discovery of smaller units of
matter and its physical behavior that led to the creation of new technologies. And as we
expand our knowledge of these elements we gain more control over them. Without
knowledge of the electron, we would not have been able to manifest Turing's machine
into a physical object (the computer). If the brain and computer share some of the same
mechanistic language they could both be understood through modern computer
language, which first and foremost deals with the flow of electrical signals.
02.6 Consciousness and Physics - Monistic Idealism
Recently, a criticism of the dualist mind-matter construct has emerged in the form of a
juxtaposition of quantum mechanics and idealist philosophies. Amit Goswami, a
contemporary physicist, argues in his book The Self-Aware Universe: How
consciousness creates the material world that consciousness is not an epiphenomenon
of matter, but that consciousness has an integral relationship with matter. Quantum
mechanics has revealed inconsistencies in Cartesian dualism and the reductionist
philosophy, and as a response to these problems, Goswami proposes what he calls a
monistic idealism.
"This philosophy is monistic as opposed to dualistic, and it is idealism
because ideas (not to be confused with ideals) and the consciousness of
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them are considered to be the basic elements of reality; matter is considered
secondary." (Goswami 10)
!
Modern physics can be split into two main branches: the physics of general
relativity, or classical physics, and quantum mechanics. In terms of general relativity, the
importance of the work of Sir Isaac Newton can not be understated. He established a
framework for the interactions of matter that described the relationship between matter
and energy and is referred to as causal determinism. (10) Newton's idea was that "all
motion can be predicted exactly given the laws of motion and the initial conditions of the
object" (15-16) and includes the important law of energy exchange between objects. An
object can only move if you apply a force (or energy) to it, and this energy exchange
always has to be equal - every force has an equal and opposite force. Because
consciousness, or the mind, was considered an immaterial entity, it was not believed to
emit any energy, and was therefore incapable of affecting physical matter. However, it
has now become evident that consciousness is affecting the results of quantum
mechanical experiments, which to some physicists indicates that consciousness is a
definite force that should be incorporated into physics.
!
Goswami traces monistic idealism back to Plato and his Cave allegory but also
uses terms from Buddhist philosophy. In The Cave, Plato describes a scene where
humans are sitting in a dark cave, always facing a wall. The light enters the cave from
the outside and casts shadows of reality on the wall. For the cavemen, the shadows
would be perceived as reality but would never represent reality in its full extent. The light
outside the cave represents Plato's ideals, a concept describing the existence of an idea
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(i.e. the idea of an object) where it exists in its complete, perfect state. This state is not
accessible to us humans, who, for Plato, are trapped in a metaphorical cave where they
can only perceive the shadow of reality (48).
!
Goswami wants to bridge the gap between the idealist primacy of consciousness
and the Cartesian construct of matter using quantum mechanics. To better understand
how quantum mechanics can give consciousness a role in physics, we should look at
some of the known quantum properties of an electron.
!
One of the known properties of an electron is that depending on whether it is
being observed directly or measured with a detector, the electron exists in different
states. In the double-slit experiment, a common experiment for observing interference
patterns, an electron (or a photon, which behaves similarly) is directed at two slits and
projected on a fluorescent screen on the other side. A direct observation of an electron
reveals an interference pattern on the monitor indicating that it is a probability wave
representing possible outcomes. When measured with a detector, the electron appears
at a single point indicating that it is a particle. In this state, the electron is observed to be
in one place, indicating that it is a particle, but where it shows up is entirely
unpredictable (66-70). It also seems to be capable of moving faster than the speed of
light, or disappearing from one location and appearing simultaneously at another. This
contradicts Einstein's theory of special relativity, which states that the speed of light is
always the same and is always relative to the observer, regardless of the speed of the
observer (xiv-xv). Not only do these properties challenge Einstein's theory, but they also
contradict Descartés geometry and the entire domain of Cartesian dualism, as quantum
objects can exist in two places at the same time. For Goswami, these contradictions do
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not necessarily mean that reductionism and the natural sciences are invalid, but that we
have been overlooking the importance of consciousness as a constituent element of the
material/physical world.
!
At the quantum scale, effect can occur before cause - reversing linear causality.
Furthermore, Goswami proposes that consciousness and matter are not separate things
but are different aspects of consciousness. They can be considered to cause each other
to exist. To further explain this relationship, Goswami turns to concepts in Buddhism:
"The material and idea realms are referred to as Nirmanakaya and
Sambhogakaya respectively, but beyond these is the light of one
consciousness, Dharmakaya which illuminates both. And in reality, there is only
Dharmakaya." (50)
!
This provides a model of a universal consciousness that illuminates the mind
(idea realm) and matter as a unifying force. In monistic idealism these forces are seen
as complementary to each other, and cannot be seen as one causing the other (50).
This model of the consciousness-matter relationship resonates strongly with Plato's
Cave allegory, where the shadows on the cave wall could be seen as an example of
Nirmanakaya and the light that makes the shadows could be understood as the
equivalent of Sambhogakaya and is perhaps the place of Plato's ideal forms, where
things exists as they are. We think that the shadows of consciousness are real beings,
when they are in fact a shadow of a larger existence.
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!
In this chapter I have outlined the history of the relationship of mind and matter
from Descartes to Goswami. I have identified the origin of separation of mind from
matter with René Descartes and his dualist world view. Although it might not have been
his intention, this view developed into a reductionist materialist view where
consciousness is not only viewed as separate from matter, but as a direct result of
interactions of matter. Reductionism is a useful tool for constructing abstractions of
physical interactions, and has allowed scientists to better understand the mind in terms
of matter. Such a view enabled Alan Turing to create the analogy of the brain as a
machine and to predict the rise of artificial intelligence. In contrast to the materialist
world view I have provided a summary of monistic idealism and how quantum
mechanics can reverse our view of the mind-matter relationship, where consciousness
is more fundamental than matter.
!
In the next chapter I will discuss my personal artistic aesthetic in which I apply
parascientific methods to investigate the relationship between mind and matter and how
we can perceive things differently and move data between mediums. As electronic
technology has progressed, we now have the ability to divide time into very small units giving us a very fine resolution on the time-axis. I will discuss the development of the
cultural compartmentalization of time from medieval times to the modern age, as my
work mostly exists in the time domain. Sound and color can both be explained in terms
of frequency over time. Although my work focuses on the qualities of sound, I find
similarities in Kandinsky's use of shape and color to represent spiritual values. To further
expand on the connection between science and spirituality I will discuss the The Society
for Psychical Research and its impact on subsequent telepathy experiments, including
15
the Ganzfeld experiment referenced in James Turrell's work. I will discuss how Turrell in
his work methodologically removes the frame of reference exposing the perceptual
apparatus of the human mind to facilitate a connection to the spirit. Furthermore, I will
discuss how it is possible to expose the same perceptual apparati using new electronic
media such as computer programming and brain to computer interfaces.
16
03. Time Aesthetics
'All media are active metaphors in their power to translate experience into
new forms.' (McLuhan 69)
03.1 A System Aesthetic
The physical components of my work are manifestations of an aesthetic that concerns
the process leading to the creation of the work, rather than the material representation
of the work. My practice borrows elements from experimental sciences and is
elementally parascientific in nature. When I entered the masters program I started
focusing on shifting sound into visual forms and bringing it to the viewer's awareness.
As my work progressed I began introducing methods for reversing this process; turning
objects and images into sound. As with light, we don't often relate sound to physical
properties. It is constantly moving through space but we don't normally see it moving
through the air. I wanted to find a way to shift audible and inaudible sound to another
form where we can perceive it differently, even more analytically.
03.2 Time as medium
Time is a representation of the movement of our planet within the solar system which
determines the cycle of the seasons. This knowledge was very important to agricultural
practices and logically resolves to the definition of the duration of one year that divides
into four seasons. In the Middle Ages, monasteries started dividing the day into seven
intervals. These intervals were important to maintain a regularity of life in the monastery.
17
The cycles, referred to as canonical hours, were used to "synchronize the actions of
men" (Mumford 14) and were of great importance in maximizing the production of the
monastery. According to Lewis Mumford, maintaining this cycle made it important to
create a device that keeps track of time, resulting in the invention of the first clock. The
first clock was most likely a water clock and not capable of great accuracy, but was
none the less useful to some extent for this regulatory model of time. A turning point for
the social integration of time was in the year 1370 when the first clock tower was built.
The clock had "a dial and a hand that translated the movement of time to a movement
through space". (16) On every intersection of the hands, a bell in the clock tower would
sound over long distances - informing the surrounding urban area about the passing of
time. This would eventually integrate the idea of a compartmentalized, sequential time
flow, where each segment of time was reserved for certain activities (work, sleep,
worship, etc.). Today this idea is still integrated and we measure work as the time
required to complete a set of actions. As the intervals between timed events (the bell in
the monastery) got increasingly smaller, we started concerning ourselves with hours,
minutes and seconds. Advances in the mechanical clock and its derivative industrial
machines powered the industrial revolution. This eventually led to the invention of the
transistor, the basic on/off switch used in electronic logic circuits, and enabled the
construction of the ubiquitous "555" timer circuit. In short, the circuit interpolates
between two states, off and on. It is possible to control the rate, making it tick faster or
slower depending on the intended application. This circuit is very widespread and is
commonly used in home electronics, watches and computers. With the introduction of
the modern computer, we can now make logic based calculations much faster than
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previously possible, essentially outperforming the human brain in certain areas. The
basic unit of time used in audio synthesis and analysis is the Hertz and indicates cycles
per second. If something has a frequency of 1 Hertz, or 1 Hz, it happens once per
second. If the frequency is 2 GHz (or Giga Herz) it happens two billion times a second,
which is a very common speed for a modern home computer.
!
Jay David Bolter states that man has always worked through time, in the sense
that he has been immersed in a larger scale of time which is out of his control, but
"modern man is the first man that works with time" (Bolter 101). Essentially, advances in
technology have given man more units of time to work with which enables us to perform
more actions within each unit of time. Time, like sound and color, has become a medium
in which we can make work.
03.3 Kandinsky - Nonphysical forms
Wassily Kandinsky saw his art as a way to give form (and color) to anti-materialistic or
spiritual values. In contrast, he viewed representationalism as a way of expressing the
materialistic values which he shunned (Long 1). Although I don't consider myself to be a
painter, and I rarely use color in my works, my aims and methods are not that different
from those of Kandinsky. Instead of relying on my inner perception of shape and color, I
use light and sound to represent an abstraction of my spiritual experience.
!
Kandinsky did not initially see his art as purely abstract and preferred the term
"Gegenstandslos" - or 'without object' (33). He stressed that the term applied to forms
deriving from "within the artist" (3). In relation to my own work, I interpret this both in
terms of reductionist neurophysiology and monistic spirituality. I.e. My works that
19
incorporate the EEG monitor can either be understood as an empirical translation of
electronic signals from the brain to waves of sound and light, or they can be understood
as an aesthetic translation of spirit to matter. Furthermore many of my works exist
partially or fully outside traditional physical form. My works may include physical
components, but I see the work existing in the way the components are connected and
the continuously changing state of the embedded algorithms. The system is the artwork
and the object is the framework for the output. As is the case in Kandinsky's work, my
systems derive from within me. Instead of using color (frequencies of light) and shape to
represent spiritual values I work with frequencies of sound that I shape through
computer programming to create abstract soundscapes representing the inner form I
perceive within my consciousness.
!
To expand on this particular aesthetic I will borrow the term "tech-noetics" (Ascott
66) from Roy Ascott, an artist and theorist who works in the field of cybernetics and has
written about the relationship between consciousness and technology. Ascott states that
connecting the mind with technology "enables us to explore consciousness in new ways
but may lead to distinctly new forms of art, new qualities of mind, and new constructions
of reality." (66)
03.4 Paranormal / Parascience / Telepathy
The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) was founded in 1882. The purpose of the
society was to establish a foundation for rigorous and open-minded examinations of
psychical phenomena, but today the term psychical has been replaced with paranormal.
One of the founders of the society and author of Varieties of Religious Experience,
20
William James, did extensive research on consciousness. He experimented on himself
using nitrous oxide, which would induce a different state of consciousness, and he was
the first psychologist to conduct experiments on telepathy. One of the co-founders of
SPR, Edmund Gurney, was also involved with experiments on telepathy, and was
convinced that communications were possible with the spirits of the dead.
!
In the 1930's, German gestalt psychologist Wolfgang Metzger designed the
Ganzfeld experiment. Its purpose was to test the binocular theory of vision. He was
attempting to prove that the mind sees one unified image and not two separate images,
but his work was later adopted as a telepathy experiment. In the original experiment, the
eyes of the participant are covered with a white material, a red light shines through the
surface resulting in the exclusion of all surrounding visual stimuli. As an addition,
auditory stimuli are also removed. After a while, the participant's mind starts producing
singular images, proving that vision happens in the brain - rather than in the eyes alone.
This experimental platform was later appropriated by paranormal researchers to
conduct experiments on thought-transference between two participants. This technique
has served as a great inspiration for my practice, both in terms of producing artwork that
stimulates mental imagery and in terms transferring my mental state to my viewers
through technologically enabled thought transferance techniques. The experiment has
also influenced other artists such as James Turrell, whom I will discuss in the following
section.
!
A similar, but perhaps more powerful tool for experiencing the inner mind, is the
sensory deprivation tank. In the sealed environment the participant floats in complete
silence and darkness in a highly concentrated salt-water solution that enables effortless
21
floating, canceling out tactile feedback as well. In a recent study conducted in Sweden,
patients with chronic-whiplash pain were treated on a regular basis in this environment.
The study reveals that participants experienced being in a different place or time and
made profound connections with the self, resulting in less pain for a long period of time
after the treatment (Edebol, Bood & Norlander)
!
Sensory deprivation is a powerful technique to examine your own mind. The
Ganzfeld experiment only flattens the visual aspect of perception and leaves the other
senses untouched. In a floatation tank, all references to the external world are removed
and you can look at your own mind without interference from external stimuli. This can
be seen as a method for exploring mind and consciousness, without interference from
matter outside the body. After a floating session, people often report experiencing
timelessness, a conscious state where time does not exist. This is perhaps the
equivalent of the mystical state.
03.5 James Turrell and the removal of visual reference
James Turrell works with light in a way that reveals its physical properties and he uses
elements of sensory deprivation in many of his works. By removing the frame of
reference he gives the viewer an opportunity to observe light independent of our usual
perceptual habits and conventions.
!
In Turrell's Dark Spaces the artist appears to have constructed a completely light
proof structure. When the viewer enters the work he perceives only darkness. However,
Turrell leaves a tiny fracture in one of the closing walls to let a small amount of light in.
After a while, the viewer adjusts to the darkness and the tiny amount of light going into
22
the installation becomes clearer and brighter until it fills the space. "The concept of a
Dark Space is not about what one is supposed to see but the experience of what Turrell
describes as 'seeing yourself see.' " (Turrell)
!
To me, this demonstrates two things; The persistence and power of light, and that
changing the frame of reference can have dramatic impact on what we perceive.
In another series by Turrell, Skyspaces, he brings the sky closer to the viewer by cutting
a square or round hole in the ceiling, exposing the sky above. Normally, the hole in the
roof would cast a shadow on the side of its edges - creating a frame of reference from
which to view the sky. However, Turrell removes this shadow by making the edges so
thin that you can not see the edges, eliminating the frame of reference. This results in
the sky being perceived as part of the roof, filling the hole in the ceiling - just out of
reach. In both of these works Turrell shifts the daily perspective on light and binds it to
the physical dimensions, making it seem that you could literally touch the light.
In the Ganzfeld series, Turrell creates a series of spaces with controlled lighting. The
rooms are lit with a single color in a uniform configuration. This has the effect that the
viewer looses all depth reference and can bring the viewer closer his inner perception,
as is the case with the Ganzfeld experiment.
!
In his works, Turrell turns our regard toward the mind as a perceptual apparatus.
In the following segments I will talk about how we can interface this spiritual apparatus
that is the mind ( spirit , consciousness ) with computers and other electrical devices. To
do so, I will first address the significance of software in modern culture and the
computer programming aspect of my own work.
23
03.7 Brain to Computer Interface (BCI)
Alan Turing introduced the metaphor of the brain as a computational machine that had
internal states like the Turing machine. For Turing, these states were synonymous with
the mental states of the brain. Today, neuroscience has determined that the brain fires
electrical signals through units called neurons and a correlation has been discovered
between the frequency of this electrical activity and certain mental states. Using this
fact, and the proper electrical equipment, it should be able to interface with a digital
computer.
!
The raw electronic signal originating in the brain produces a waveform that can
be treated in the same way as an audio signal. The frequencies of the wave are divided
into four frequency bands, where each one is associated with a number of mental
qualities as determined by experimental observation. The waves and their main
characteristics are as follows:
Frequency Band
Range (Hz)
Characteristics
Delta
0 - 3 Hz
Deep Sleep
Theta
4 - 7 Hz
Dreaming
Alpha
7 - 13 Hz
Meditation, Relaxation
Gamma
13 - 30 Hz
Waking state, Awareness,
Stress
Table 1. Brainwave frequencies and associated mental states. (First, 31-37)
!
Delta waves occur in deep, dreamless sleep at a very low frequency. This
indicates the brain is processing information in slower cycles, conserving energy. As the
cycles grow faster there is an increased activity in the theta band and we experience
24
dreaming. The most well known frequency band is alpha which is dominant in the
brainwave signal when we are in deep relaxation or in a meditative state. This state is
believed to enable greater creativity, perhaps because it operated closer to the
subconscious frequencies (delta and theta). In a waking state, the brain fires electrons
at a much faster rate, producing a strong signal in the gamma band, but little is known
about frequencies occurring above that limit.
!
In some of my work I implemented the use of a commercial EEG monitor. This
device goes by the product name MindWave and was developed by an american
company called Neurosky. The device itself is lightweight and transmits data to the
computer wirelessly. An electrode is laid flat on the forehead and an embedded circuit
amplifies the electronic signal originating in the brain. Neurosky have implemented their
own algorithms that determine the users level of attention and relaxation, termed
Attention and Meditation values. The values of the respective variables are provided as
integers ranging from 0 to 100. This is intended to provide game developers with useful
controls without having to do complicated signal processing to determine different
mental states and is achieved with Neurosky's undisclosed algorithms. By getting visual
and/or sonic feedback generated by your mental state, you can learn to control and
manipulate these particular states at will. The device also transmits the raw signal from
the electrode which gives you more information about the electrical activity in the brain but is not nearly as useful as a controller. This signal is however the same one used for
the construction of the attention and relaxation values.
!
In 1965 Alvin Lucier composed Music for Solo Performer, which is considered to
be the first brain controlled artwork. In this work, Lucier performs on stage sitting on a
25
chair. Electrodes on his forehead pick up the signal of his brain and send it to an
amplifier. The amplifier filters the signal leaving only the alpha waves to be heard
through the speakers. By entering a meditative state, Lucier makes the waves grow
stronger eventually created a resonance with percussion instruments lying around the
stage. In essence, by combining the brain with technology available to him at this time
Lucier found a way to play instruments only with his mind, achieving a form of electronic
telekinesis.
!
Now that we have established that the brain emits a range of electronic
frequencies that have a correlation to certain mental states, I want to address the
possibility of reversing this process to affect the viewer's mental state by sending
electronic signals to the brain through the senses. Biofeedback, a known technique, is
the practice of amplifying biological rhythms, making them audible or visible (or both).
This is commonly used to experience ones own. I wanted to explore if the biological
rhythm of one persons brain could affect another person through a similar unidirectional
process.
03.8 Sensory input
Binaural beats is a phenomenon first observed in 1839 by prussian physicist Heinrich
Wilhelm Dove. He observed that when listening to two slightly different tones in each
ear the brain would sense a third wave. This wave is the difference between the two
tones. I.e. a 400Hz and 401Hz tone would produce a perceived 1 Hz tone. (First 31-37)
The lower range of human hearing is about 20 Hz, but using this technique you can
enable the perception of lower frequencies. Because the low frequency wave is not
26
physically present, it means that the brain is generating it on its own. By exposing the
brain to alpha waves (~7Hz) the brain can be guided into the alpha state of
consciousness (First 31-37). This can also be applied to the other frequency bands of
the brain to amplify certain mental states. I have used this technique in some of my
previous work, but I believe the same effect can be achieved through physical
interaction of low-frequency audio that affects the entire body accompanied with light
stimuli at the same frequencies.
!
In this chapter I have talked about my aesthetic and discussed artistic and
historical precedents for my work. I have discussed the importance of software and
programming and how the brain can be interfaced with a computer, and how the internal
states of the brain can be programmed by sending it signals representing these states.
In the next chapter I will discuss some of the specific methods I use to achieve this,
before I move on to discuss my own works.
27
04. Parascientific techniques: Software, Visualization,
Sonification and Fractal Mapping
04.1 Computer programming
Computer programming is a central aspect of my workflow and I use a range of
programming languages to achieve my goals. Each language has its own strengths and
weaknesses. A useful analogy is to think of each language, or programming
environment, as a specific tool useful for a specific task. Here I will discuss the
programming languages I use the most and what they enable me to do. Some
programming languages tell the computer very specifically what to do on the hardware
level and are considered to have a low level of abstraction. A language that compiles
low level code into discrete functions are considered to be at higher levels of
abstraction. As a result, higher level languages are easier to code in and you can get
away with writing smaller blocks of code. The downside is that your code is probably
instructing the computer to do more things than are absolutely necessary. I do not
expect, nor require, that every reader of this thesis has a knowledge of computer
programming. However, I will briefly talk about some general aspects of the
programming tools I most commonly use for my work. Every now and then I might have
to use something different, but these are the most important ones.
!
Max/MSP is a high level visual programming language developed in the early
1980's. The structure of a visual program is similar to that of an analog synthesizer;
functions are written into a module that obscures the text-based computer code. Each
module has one or more inlets and outlets so it is possible to route data in and out of
28
objects. An example of this would be the cycle~ object which takes two arguments in its
inlets, frequency and phase, and by connecting a number to the frequency inlet you set
the frequency of a sine wave and the same is true for the phase. The cycle~ contains an
algorithm that uses these variables to generate a sine wave audio signal. In my work i
have used Max for audio synthesis, analysis and signal reconstruction.
!
Processing is an open source programming language built for artists and
designers. It has a high level of abstraction and is designed to quickly make graphical
programs called sketches. It has support for creation of basic shapes, image and video
processing, and is capable of rendering graphics on the computer GPU (Graphics
Processing Unit). Because Processing is a high-level language, when programs get too
complicated and resource-demanding the program will slow down significantly, it is
mostly useful for prototyping small projects.
!
Another useful open source library for visual artists is called openFrameworks.
It is very similar to Processing but is built with C++. It has a lower abstraction level, so
the code is essentially closer to the hardware which makes it necessary to consider the
physical aspects of memory. I.e. you have to be careful to think about memory in terms
of the magnetic tape of the Turing machine, but instead of an infinite magnetic tape
containing zeros and ones, the computers memory has a finite number of bits it can
remember. Assigning two different tasks to the same place in memory will therefore
break the program.
04.2 Data sets
For any visualization or sonification process it is essential to have a set of data to work
with. In my work, I use a few different sources to construct the data I am interested in. I
29
acquire my data through audio recording, brainwave recordings and known
mathematical sets found in nature, such as the fibonacci sequence discussed in chapter
n (Natural Sound Synthesis Algorithm).
04.3 Fourier-transformation
In the early twentieth century, french mathematician Joseph Fourier found a way to
reduce waveforms to a list of individual frequencies with corresponding amplitudes over
time. The list extracted from the waveform can then be put back together to create the
exact same waveform. Furthermore, because everything moves in a wave - or from one
state to the other and back - the transformation can be used to predict events forward
(and backwards) in time. Russian neurophysiologist Nikolai Bernstein applied the
principles of Fourier transformation to the movement of dancers, dressing them in black
clothes against a black background with reflective markers on the body. By
photographing only the reflective markers at regular intervals he captured the waveform
of the dancers and was subsequently able to transform these waves to a list of
frequencies and amplitudes. Using Fourier's technique, Bernstein could predict motion
with incredible accuracy (Talbot, 28-30). This type of transformation is now commonly
used in mathematics and engineering, but it is perhaps more commonly used in audio
synthesis and analysis. However, Fourier transformation can be applied to almost
anything.
!
A common application for the function is the construction of spectrograms, where
the X-axis represents time and the Y-axis indicates the frequency range. The result is an
30
image that maps the frequency amplitudes onto pixel values and their corresponding
image coordinates.
04.4 Waves
The basic building block for all my work is the sine wave. It is characterized by a smooth
continual shift from its negative value to its positive value and is the simplest of the
basic waveforms.
!
Every object has a fundamental frequency. If exposed to that particular frequency
the object will start to resonate - causing it to vibrate in phase with the outside signal.
Objects also resonate at other frequencies which are often, but not necessarily,
multiples of the fundamental frequency. As a result, objects resonate with a list of N
frequencies at variable amplitudes. As a contemplation of how this affects everyday life,
I present an analogy from the physical world.
!
When you look at the ocean and try to count the waves, you might get confused
about what exactly constitutes a countable wave. Waves move through each other,
making it difficult to distinguish where each wave ends and where it begins. You notice
that a single wave in the ocean is made up of many smaller waves, or ripples. When
you look out to sea, you can see the larger waves (lower frequencies), pulsing gently
(usually at a low amplitude). Eventually, time reveals the lower frequencies of the
ocean, the tides which go from its lowest to highest state twice a day as the moon orbits
the earth. If we applied Fourier transformation to the waves at sea, surely we would
acquire an accurate description of the ocean. Instead of counting only the waves that
we perceive to be waves without much consideration we might end up with a single
31
number over a fixed amount of time. Instead we have now counted how many times
waves of different sizes occur. This method accounts for objects in motion, but can the
same principles apply to static objects?
!
In my work I look at the spectral distribution of audio signals recorded in different
environments; traffic intersections, the beach, the forest, etc., but also how the physical
objects' presence can change the spectral distribution of its surrounding environment.
04.5 Comparative signal analysis
In some cases, it is enlightening to look at the difference between two signals. For
instance, recording the sound of a "silent" room will produce resonant frequency bands
determined by the physical properties of the room. If you then make another recording
of the room with people talking in the room, subtracting the former signal from the latter
produces a signal with minimal room resonance, thus isolating the talking from the
background noise. This is the equivalent of removing the room from the signal.
!
Another way to detect the resonance of an object is to expose it to white noise. A
white noise signal consists of randomly generated frequencies at equal amplitudes.
Because each frequency has an equal probability of appearing the signal contains all
possible frequencies. When an object, or a space, is exposed to white noise it
resonates at certain frequencies but rejects (filters) others. The generated filtered signal
shows us what frequencies the object is not resonating at, therefore a simple inversion
of the signal reveals its resonant frequencies.
32
04.6 Mapping and Remapping
A useful method of transforming data across mediums is called remapping. This method
does not refer to physical or geographical mapping, but is used to describe the mapping
of one range of numbers to another range. We can use this method to transcribe
information from one form to another. One possible use of this method is to remap a
recording of high-frequency inaudible sound waves onto a portion of the audible
spectrum. Another use I found for this technique is to remap my brainwave activity into
the audible spectrum. This method is also viable across mediums, i.e. translations are
possible between sound, light, electronics or anything else that can interface with a
computer.
04.7 Fractals and Fibonacci sequences
!
A fractal shape is a shape which contains itself and is repeated n times within itself.
In 1915, Polish mathematician Waclaw Sierpinski discovered a fractal triangle pattern
now known as the Sierpinski triangle. The simplest way to draw one is by a simple
recursive method; draw an equilateral triangle and fill it with black, then from the centre
of each side of the triangle draw a smaller triangle inside and remove the black from
within it. Each time you do this the triangles will get smaller and smaller.
33
Fig. 3 Sierpinskis triangle rendered with Processing (http://www.openprocessing.org/
sketch/43184).
!
A more interesting way to draw this exact configuration, as discovered by
Sierpinski, is based on random probability. You begin by defining the vertices of the
equilateral triangle and then select a random point within the triangle. Starting from that
same point, move halfway towards a randomly selected corner of the triangle. If
repeated enough times the same exact pattern will reveal itself. To me it is interesting
that the same results can be achieved using both constructed logic and random
probability.
!
It has long been established that certain mathematical constants have a pleasing
aesthetic appeal. Many of those constants constitute the building blocks of the natural
world. (Huntley). One of those numbers, Phi, or the mathematical annotation ϕ has
been of a particular interest to me. It is the relationship present in any sequence where
each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers in a list. It has been considered
34
to be the 'golden ratio' but it also represents the growth and shape of spirals and is
found in most biological entities. In music, a major sixth is considered the most
emotionally pleasing interval. It has a ratio of 8:5 which approximately equals ϕ:1
(Huntley).
Fig. 4 A fibonacci spiral. (Wikipedia, Golden_ratio)
Phi and the Sierpinski triangle served as a model and inspiration for my Natural Sound
Synthesis Algorithm, in which I construct a fractal audio composition based on Fibonacci
sequences. In the following chapter, I will discuss the process of the creation of my
artworks where the aforementioned methods are applied in practice.
!
In my work, the above methods and tools are applied in different configurations,
or compositions. Computer programming is one of my primary tools that enables me to
describe abstract, non-physical ideas in computer language. These ideas exist in a
vaguely physical state as a set of instructions in the computer's memory. These
instructions are implementations of the above methods. In my work, I instruct the
35
computer to process signals through methods of mapping and remapping combined
with fractal signal reconstruction. In my programming, I look at input and output in terms
of its embedded frequencies. For instance: physical objects, to me, can be uniquely
represented by a list of frequencies and their respective amplitudes, determined by their
physical properties.
!
In the following chapter I will discuss my artworks in terms of the development of
work and ideas. The works implement the aforementioned methods in different ways but
are crucial for the construction of a complete system in each individual work. Now that I
have laid out some important components of my artworks I can adequately discuss how
my methods are implemented in practice and theory.
36
05. Artworks
In this chapter I will walk through developments of the artwork produced over the past
two years. I will discuss my artworks in chronological order, as each work informs later
iterations of what I consider to be part of the same body of work. The first work I did in
the program, BrainTV, is an exploration of the Cartesian relationship of mind and matter,
particularly how the former can manipulate the latter through the use of technology. In
the creation of this artwork I worked under the assumption that consciousness can be
measured, to some extent, in terms of the frequency of the electronic signal originating
within the human brain. Certain patterns in the frequencies and amplitudes embedded
in the signal indicate certain mental states. By using an EEG monitor I was able to
transmit a signal from my brain to the computer and translate it to a signal that creates
interference patterns on the TV monitor, essentially transforming my brainwave signal
into waves of light. The experience of looking at a physical object (the TV) responding to
changes in my own mental state led me to question whether this tech-noetic relationship
could be extended to interface with physical matter by using sound. This lead me to
explore the acoustics of different places in my subsequent artwork Observations, where
I collected and visualized audio recordings acquired in different environments. In this
work I view the audio signal similarly to the signal generated in the brain. It can be
analyzed in the same way, but it operates in a wider frequency spectrum. This allows for
the transformation of the audio to an image, commonly known as a spectrogram. The
resulting image shows amplitudes in a range of frequencies over time. At the time I
made these recordings I noted my own mental state and when I looked at the image I
could then make a similar correlation between my mental state and the composition of
37
the image. I had the idea that I could analyze audio recordings in the same way and
reveal similar compositions in the signal generated and processed by places and
objects. Perhaps consciousness is a result of relative frequency bands composed in a
variety of combinations. I was interested in whether some kind of consciousness could
be found in larger systems around us. To further explore this notion, I started developing
Thingogram v.1, a method to record and visualize the acoustic frequencies embedded
in arbitrarily selected objects. Using this method I was able to produce images of the
object's dominant frequency bands showing that each object produced a unique
frequency band composition. The next iteration of the work, Thingogram v. 2, is a
method of translating the images into audible form. This is achieved by mapping the
image onto an array of sinewaves spaced by intervals of fibonacci sequences. As I now
had a collection of visual and sonic abstractions of the objects from v.1 I proceeded to
build Thingogram v.3, a framework for viewing these images while listening to the sound
they generate.
!
This thesis includes a few images of my work, but more material is available in
my virtual studio (http://gradstudios.ecuad.ca/lstefansson/) including audio components
of my artworks.
05.1 BrainTV
The first work I did in my journey through the masters program is called BrainTV, and is
my attempt to interface my brain with a television. In this work I rely heavily on the
reductionist philosophy that the mind is an epiphenomena of matter, and that
consciousness has a correlation with electrical activity in the brain's neurons. I see this
38
as an occurrence of Ascott's tech-noetics, as the state of the work has a direct temporal
relationship with my own mental state and/or consciousness. The work becomes an
extension of my mental state, which I strongly associate with my consciousness. Thus, I
have established a link between my consciousness and the temporal state of the
television (a physical thing). The television responds in real-time to changes in my brain
activity.
!
To acquire a reading of my brain's electrical activity I use the MindWave EEG
monitor discussed in chapter 3. The device amplifies and transmits the electrical signal
of my brain to a computer running a program of my own making. This program receives
the signal in the form of a RAW signal and the Relaxation and Meditation values as
provided by Neurosky, the manufacturer of the device. In the first iteration of BrainTV I
use the Relaxation and Meditation values as these are intuitive and provide very good,
but simplified, feedback information that I can correlate to my mental state. In a later
iteration I rely solely on the RAW signal.
!
In the first iteration of the artwork, BrainTV v.1, the program that interfaces the
brain to the computer contains an algorithm of my own making that generates an audio
signal that changes in accordance to the simplified mental state values. The signal is
then routed to the video input on the television which results in different combinations of
horizontal lines of light, depending on the composition of the audio signal.
!
I discovered that when I send an audio signal to the video input of the television it
displays an interference signal on the monitor. By sending a range of frequencies to the
monitor I discovered that a signal of ca. 60 Hz would produce a single still line across
the monitor. This is the fundamental frequency of the television, which I will refer to
39
simply as F. By raising or lowering the frequency of the audio signal by N Hz the line will
start to move across the screen at F-N / N Hz. It will move from top to bottom if it is a
negative value, and in the reverse direction if the value is positive. Furthermore, I
discovered that values that are multiples of F will produce multiple lines across the
screen in a 1:1 ratio. 2F will yield 2 lines, 5F will yield 5 lines etc. It is also possible to
control the appearance of the lines to some extent. A signal with a high amplitude
results in hard edges, where as a low amplitude will render softer line edges. In this
iteration of the work, I wanted a steady single line to occur only when I was in a
focused, meditative state. As my mind would drift towards stress and loss of focus these
states would make a more complex and distressed pattern on the monitor. Through my
awareness of the fundamental frequency and other characteristics of the television set, I
was able to map the range of mental states detected by the EEG device to a range of
compositional complexity displayed on screen. This is a process of tuning together man
and machine.
40
Fig. 5 BrainTV displaying a complex signal.
!
Obviously, there is no technically correct way to do this, but instead I went
through a process of comparing what I saw on the monitor and assessing how well it
represented my current mental state. If the light on the monitor was not felt as
adequately representing my mental state, I made the necessary calibrations. This is
perhaps where my personal sense of aesthetics and subjectivity is best represented. As
a guideline to this calibration process I reference the frequency bands of the brain and
their associated mental states. When a viewer looks at the television, light hits the retina
at the frequency emitted by the television. Similar to how binaural beats trick your brain
41
into perceiving a physically non-existent audio frequency, I believe the same results
can be achieved by using light, or any other sensory stimuli for that matter.
Fig. 6 BrainTV installation view.
!
I presented this work in the ie gallery on the Emily Carr campus over the period
of one week and placed the head-sized television monitor on a high-chair sitting on a
plinth resembling a stage. For the exhibition period, I wore the EEG monitor and
transmitted the signals over the school's network - in a sense broadcasting my mental
state to the gallery in real-time. As I was physically elsewhere, the work continued to
transform my mental state into interference signals. The television becomes a physical
extension of my mind. This is essentially a form a telepresence that poses to some
difficult questions on materiality and locality of the mind. Such as "Is it possible for the
42
mind to be in two places at once?", and "Is the mind a product of physical interactions,
or are physical interactions caused by the mind?".
!
In the second iteration of this work, BrainTV v.2, I used the same technical setup
as in v.1 but the program is now feeding the raw signal through a different audio
synthesis algorithm. This algorithm remaps segments of my brainwave activity
frequency spectrum to frequencies in the Solfeggio scale, a musical scale used in
Gregorian chanting.
!
Because I am working with a signal in the range of zero to 30Hz, two thirds of the
data is outside the audible spectrum. For this reason, it is not enough to simply amplify
the signal to hear it more clearly. To make the signal audible, I multiply the amplitude of
sectioned frequency bands with select carrier frequencies. The result is that you hear
the amplitude of different frequency bands of the brain reflected through audible tones
at a higher frequency. In order to achieve this, the carrier frequencies have to be
selected manually which ultimately comes down to aesthetic choice. My decision to use
the Gregorian Solfeggio scale comes down to its spiritual applications and to the idea
that it could possibly have healing effects. The exact frequencies of the tones in the
scale are mathematically consistent and have been associated with geometric
formations.
!
Using this method, as opposed to the previous one, the translation algorithm
allows for an experience of the brainwave signal that is much closer to the original. My
intent in this work is to broadcast my consciousness, or mental state, to the viewers/
listeners of the work. The television becomes an extension of my physical (biological)
and conscious self and is capable of affecting anyone who views it. Experiencing my
43
own consciousness extended into an electronic system made me doubt the physical
limitations of consciousness, and perhaps consciousness could occur in other electrical
networks than the human brain. This led me to look for consciousness in the external
world through audio recordings.
05.2 Observations
Observations is a work in which I start my explorations of environmental soundscapes
as a visual construct. The series consists of 12 images, each one representing a
specific time, location and events occurring over an undetermined period of time. The
content of the images is collected in the field with a microphone and a portable
recording device. The sound is then converted into a spectrogram, an image that shows
the amplitude of a range of frequencies over time.
Fig. 7 Observations no. 3, Waves.
44
The images present themselves without the axis labels attached to them. This is to
encourage the viewer to observe each image not in relation to the empirical scale,
traditionally sitting next to each axis, but to look at the emergent frequency bands'
relative position to each other on an aesthetic level. What is significant in this work is
that it shows how soundscapes differ from location to location, or event to event and
how the feeling attached to the recording translates between mediums with its
aesthetics in tact. For instance a busy traffic intersection produces a 'heavier' image and
leaves little space for anything else but an image produced by birds singing has a much
more appealing aesthetic and looks more like traditional sheet music.
Fig. 8 Observations no. 4, Traffic structure.
45
Fig. 9 Observations no. 7, Birds and breathing.
!
In this process my control over aesthetic output is very limited and is ultimately a
temporal reflection of the world around me at a time period unknown to the viewer. The
only time indicator I provide is the title, describing a scene or an action. These include
"Chasing a squirrel", "Waves" and "Traffic structure". By looking at the visual component
of the events around me I can later contemplate acoustic events, and their respective
frequencies, that would normally go unnoticed. When I record the waves, I also shift my
attention to them. And even if I listen to the audio recording later, my focus might still be
on that same aspect of the environment. However, if I look at a visual representation of
the soundscape I can see that what I perceived was only a small fraction of events. In a
sense, directing your attention to one aspect of the environment filters out
"unnecessary" stimuli, as is the case in Turrell's work. In terms of data processing, this
46
could be considered to be a significant data loss. If this filtering is necessary for
consciousness to make sense of what it perceives, maybe applying a degradation
process to the recordings would reveal something more comprehensible by human
consciousness.
!
If we track the source of the audio signal from its origin to the output image, we
can see the level of information loss involved in the process. The movement, generated
by conscious beings or otherwise, triggers changes in air-pressure which the human ear
detects as sound. The microphone reacts to this type of change in pressure and
converts it into voltage that is recorded electronically. The microphone is bound to an
angle and can only detect changes at frequencies within a limited range. This range is
far greater than the commonly acknowledged range of human hearing but the recording
is undeniably distorted to some extent by imperfections/characteristics of the recording
device. To produce an image from the recording we need to apply a Fourier
transformation to get information about frequency and amplitude. This information is
used to plot an image a two dimensional image where pixel density represents
amplitude on the time (x) and frequency (y) axis. When I have an image, I apply basic
image processing tools. By increasing contrast and adjusting brightness levels I get a
simplified image, but at the cost of a significant data loss. At this point only the signals
with higher amplitudes are revealed, discarding information about subtler events. To add
an additional layer of information loss I print the image with black ink, causing dense
pixels to bleed to nearby areas resulting in an even greater contrast. In the final step the
image is then photocopied several times. In this I am emphasizing the data loss that
happens in human perception when we shift our attention to something specific,
47
disregarding something else. The imperfections of our sensory apparatus filter the
sensory input to the degree that most things go unnoticed, but what remains is the
perception of the world. By applying a systematic information loss through the use of
technology I am imitating the human perception mechanism through technological
apparatuses. Perhaps, having enough data loss will reveal something in the event that
went unnoticed before. This method of systematic dataloss essentially filters out subtle
events and amplifies larger events in favor of a clearer image result. This reveals the
dominant frequencies of the examined soundscape and makes it easier to visually
notice distinct events in the image of the recording.
05.4 Thingogram
Thingogram is a series of works that explores acoustic properties of objects. The
general idea is that every physical structure can be uniquely described as a list of
frequencies with corresponding amplitudes. In Thingogram v.1 I analyze objects the
same way as I would analyze the brain. Similarly to how the brain produces certain
patterns for certain conscious states, physical matter produces a certain pattern for a
certain physical state. If consciousness really has an integral relationship with matter, as
is the case in monistic idealism, could these frequencies help us understand the
translation process between mind and matter? Perhaps the frequencies emitted by
consciousness are directly affecting the state of matter. To me, this seems reasonable
because objects of our own creation cannot exist unless we think of them first.
!
In the first version of Thingogram, I focus on the construction of a method to
extract lists from different objects and the translation of the lists to an image. This image
48
would reveal the pattern unique to each object. In the second version, I construct an
algorithm based on fractals and fibonacci sequences that takes an image from the
previous version as an input and outputs an audio representation of the spectral image
acquired from the object. In the third version of this ongoing series, I built a physical
framework for the components of v.1 and v.2. This version is a collection of spectral
images of objects and the sounds they generate. Here, my challenge was to give the
content a viewing platform. My initial approach was to make a book with an interactive
audio component but this evolved into a portable collection of images and embedded
systems that support the audio playback for the sounds produced by each image.
05.4.1 Thingogram v.1
Thingogram v.1 is a method to look at the frequency spectrum of physical objects in a
controlled environment. When selecting the analyzed objects I considered a number of
aspects. Each object needed to be below a certain size to fit the physical dimensions of
the experiment and have a distinct shape and texture relative to other selected objects. I
am certain that the experiment can be scaled up to allow for analysis of larger objects,
but here my primary interest is the relative difference in the frequency spectrum of
different objects.
!
Keeping in mind that anything only exists relatively to something else and is
dependent upon its environment to be meaningful I knew I had to find a way to detect
the change induced to the environment introduced by the object in question. I did this by
creating a setup in which a speaker and a microphone are located on opposing ends of
an empty space. Knowing that audible sound operates in a range of measurable
frequencies, I instructed the computer to send a white noise signal through the speaker.
49
It is a special kind of signal, because it is composed of all frequencies at equal
amplitudes. White noise is commonly associated with the static on a television monitor,
or the buzzing sound a radio makes when it is tuned in between radio stations. When
we either listen to or look at white noise, we perceive no significant connection between
what seem to be randomly generated points. When the white noise signal travels
through the empty space and hits the microphone the signal has been distorted to a
degree by the surrounding space the equipment itself. For this reason I record the
signal without an object in the space to use as a comparison signal.
Fig. 10 An accordion filtering a white noise signal.
Now a second recording is made in the exact same way, but with an object inhabiting
the space. When the white noise signal travels through the space, some of the
50
frequencies are blocked by the object affecting the recorded signal. Now both
recordings are converted to images (spectrograms) and the image representing empty
space is subtracted from the image depicting the object in the space. This effectively
subtracts the empty space (and other factors) from the object in the space, leaving only
the frequency bands affected by the object. The result is an image that shows frequency
bands absorbed by the object. When the process is repeated several times, placing
different objects in the empty space, the produced images reveal clear spectral
differences between each of the objects. It is evident that similarly to conscious states,
physical states can also be described in terms of frequency and amplitude. In fact,
mental states as understood here are physical states. Could there be a way to affect
these physical states with the mind through the use of technology?
51
Fig 11 A spectral image of a hat.
52
Fig. 12 A spectral image of an accordion.
05.5.2 Thingogram v.2
At this stage I had developed a process to visualize the acoustics of an object but I had
no way of listening to what the objects sound like. In order to achieve a way to do this, I
built an algorithm that reads images and translates individual pixel location and density
into an equivalent frequency and amplitude of a sinewave. Fourier transformation can
be applied to extract data, but it is also possible to reproduce the original data using
only the basic building blocks of the original. Building on this idea I started to program a
hierarchical system of sine waves. The original approach was to create one sine wave
for each specific frequency in the audible range - so I would have to instruct the
computer to create 20.000 individual sine wave signals and adjust the amplitude of each
53
one according to pixel density in the Thingograms. This is a very high number of
operations that needs to be calculated simultaneously and would require too much
processing power.
!
To address this issue, I started constructing an algorithm based on fractal
Fibonacci sequences I am calling the Natural Sound Synthesis Algorithm (or NSSA).
Considering that humans are biological entities that share mathematical constants with
the rest of the natural world and that these numerical relationships are known I
concluded that this would serve as a basis for encoding spectrograms into sound with a
more naturally sounding result than a traditional Fourier transform. Instead of instructing
the computer to create each individual frequency, I instructed it to only generate
frequencies that are multiples of Fibonacci sequences. This way, the frequencies are
distributed along a natural path and despite the resulting signal containing fewer
frequencies the result would sound more natural.
!
The resulting program, written in Max MSP - a visual programming language,
contains 2000 sine waves instead of the initial 20.000 needed for accurate
reconstruction. The results are very pleasing to listen to, as expected, and the sound
has a surprisingly rhythmic quality. To me it sounds like a constant rhythmic
acceleration, where each beat contains several more cycles within. When the cycles
overlap they produce a magnitude of interference frequencies, producing a more
complex signal. The images produce different sounds, but they are all variations of the
constant rhythm inherent in the fractal fibonacci sequence.
54
Fig. 13 A screenshot of the NSSA algorithm.
55
05.5.3 Thingogram v.3
Fig. 14 Thingogram v.3 installation view
Now that I had developed the image and audio components of the work, I wanted to
compile them into a portable collection. My intent was to give the viewer a chance to
interact with the work and discover the relationship between visual and sonic elements
of the documented objects. Furthermore, I wanted to convey the feeling that the
apparatus was thinking and possessed some kind of consciousness or artificial
intelligence.
!
The artwork is installed into a flight-case, traditionally used to ship audio and
music equipment. The cuboid case is built with reinforced corners and edges that
56
protects the work while it travels to it's next site of exhibition. It is built to fit 12" record
albums in one side of the box and all the necessary electronics in the other. The
electronic components of the work handle the interaction with the viewer but are
concealed by a plywood cover engraved with Sierpinski's triangle. The only indicators
that anything is hidden within the box are the headphone and video outlets on the front
of the case and the power socket on the backside.
Fig. 15 Thingogram v.3 flight-case detail.
57
In addition to headphones, a cable runs from the video outlet to an old Commodore 64
monitor. The monitor instructs the viewer to "Place an image on the platform to listen to
it", vaguely suggesting that the viewer places an album cover on the fractal triangle. The
fractal pattern engraved on the platform points to the structure of the audio signal.
Fig. 16 Instructions on the monitor.
The images on the albums are components from Thingogram v.1. They are spectral
representations of an object. When an album is placed on the viewing platform the
58
monitor starts to intermittently display text-based information about the object depicted
on that particular album while playing a fractal audio translation of the image.
!
Thingogram v.3 functions very much like a traditional record player. It has a
compartment containing a collection of records and a separate platform for playing
them. I chose to engrave the listening platform with Sierpinski triangle because it
symbolizes the relationship between structure and randomness; the randomly
generated white noise signal used to record the depicted objects and the structured
output of the NSSA. When the viewer places an album on the centre the triangle, an
antenna hidden underneath the platform detects a radio-frequency ID (RFID) tag
embedded in in center of the enclosed 12" record. An internal Linux computer
(RaspberryPi) detects the image ID and plays the corresponding audio while the
computer monitor displays pieces of technical information about the object. A new line is
displayed every 2-3 seconds and the screen is cleared when the audio stops playing
after about 17 seconds. The first few lines are technical observations of the object but
this evolves into subjective and parascientific remarks. This is my attempt to guide the
viewer towards the idea of artificial intelligence and evoke thoughts about
consciousness in the artwork.
!
Although I am satisfied with the outcome of this work, there are some aspects
that I would like to improve. One problem I faced was that my NSSA algorithm was
incompatible with the Linux operating system I was relying on and could not be
incorporated in its current state. For this reason I had to use recordings of the
generative process rather than generating the audio signal in real time. However, the
algorithm always produces a consistent signal from each image so this does not change
59
the audio component . In future revisions of this work I want to find a way to implement
the generative algorithm into this framework. Furthermore, I intend to add more objects
to the collection.
60
06. Conclusion
In this thesis I have introduced my ideas of consciousness and matter and the invisible
aspects of both subjects. Through my research and experimental investigations of the
temporal aspects of mind and matter I have developed methods of translation of mental
states to light and sound, as well as various methods of visualization and sonification. I
have learned that measuring the physical world, weather it is the length of a string or a
complex audio signal, ultimately comes down to the relative observation of the
measurement that can only be obtained through the senses. My work inhabits a space
between art and science; two fields of study that used to be one. I hope that my work
will help bring these fields back together. I view art and science not as completely
different fields of study, but complementary approaches for understanding our reality
!
In BrainTV I built a system that translates my own brainwaves to frequencies of
sound and light on an analogue television. In this work I allow my self the assumption
that the reductionist worldview is correct; that consciousness can be defined in purely
physical terms. In the first iteration of BrainTV I found that using the Attention and
Meditation values produced by Neurosky's secret algorithm enabled me to recognize
certain states of my own mind. To me, it was an interesting process to calibrate my
algorithm for the composition on the TV to reflect my current mental state. Seeing my
consciousness extended outside my own body prompted me to think about the physical
world as being an extension of all consciousness. I believe our consciousness creates
the physical world, and I see BrainTV as an experiment demonstrating this principle.
This experiment amplifies the mind-matter relationship in a framework that is clearly
observable. Observing my own mind having a real physical effect on the television was
61
an enlightening experience for me and I started empathizing with technology and
seriously questioning the bounds of consciousness. At this point I started looking for
consciousness in other electrical networks than the human brain.
!
In Observations I am looking at audio signals in the physical world in terms of
monistic idealism; the idea that matter and consciousness are aspects of the same
thing. Different places have very different effects on my consciousness and perhaps my
state of consciousness is being affected by the environment. To see if there was a
correspondence between my conscious (or emotional) state and the place, I made
spectrograms of the places and compared them visually. I found that the overall
composition of the resulting image resonated strongly with my conscious experience at
the time of recording. A recording of a traffic intersection produced a dense, noisy but
structured image and birds singing in the forrest gave a much more harmonic and
calming composition. I had found that the images not only represent a physical place,
but a conscious state as well.
!
Thingogram v.1 is a more concise approach to measure the frequencies
embedded in physical objects. By exposing an object to all audible frequencies and
record the result I was able to determine the effect the presence of the object had on its
sonic surroundings. The objects' physical properties determine what frequencies are
able to pass by it, and which ones it absorbs. Through an analysis of the recorded
signal I obtained a unique list of frequencies and amplitudes from each object. When
the signal was converted into an image, a unique composition of distinct frequency
bands was revealed for every object.
62
!
In Thingogram v.2 I transformed the images from the previous version to fractal
sound compositions. For this purpose I created the Natural Sound Synthesis Algorithm
which remaps the spectral composition of the recorded objects to an array of fibonacci
sequences. The result is an abstract audio composition consisting of fibonacci
frequencies distributed relative to the spectral composition of the input image.
!
Thingogram v.3 is my final iteration of my work in the MAA program. It is informed
by my research and practice through my two year journey and implements methods and
parts derived from my preceding artwork. As I had built the components and some of
the required systems before I made this work, the main challenge was to compile them
into a physical object. The works' outermost layer is the protective housing of the flight
case. I use this material to reference the motion of the object during it's intended
transportation. Another challenge in making this work was writing the control software
that handles the interaction between components. This algorithm detects the image and
plays the corresponding audio but the most important aspect was the content and timing
of the object's information displayed on the monitor. The structure of the installation
guides the viewer to a fixed location where it is to be viewed and the relationship
between the image and the audio can only be perceived by one person at a time. The
process of viewing this work involves taking an object, putting it on a platform and
listening to an obscure abstraction of its frequencies while taking in textual information
about the object. I provided the viewer with limited instructions for the operation of the
apparatus, leaving him to viewer has to figure out what is being referred to in the
instruction on his/her own.
63
!
Through my work for the past two years I have learned much about
consciousness and matter, and how the invisible can be visualized/sonified and
understood through experimental practice. I draw my understanding from a variety of
different sources, including physics, neuropsychology and parapsychology. I have come
to think about everything as being reducible to a list of frequencies, including different
states of consciousness and matter. In my upcoming research I will focus on systems of
matter manipulation. I intend to make Thingogram v.4 which will apply the same signal
extraction methods to an object, but then reconstruct the signal and continuously
expose the object to its own audio frequencies. I suspect this will cause the object to
resonate and when the sound pressure accumulates it might cause it to levitate. As I
further develop my work, I will focus on the magnetic field of places and objects. I intend
to approach magnetic fields in the same way as I have approached audio and
brainwave signals; in terms of frequency and amplitude. In this research I want to find
out whether it is possible to effect matter on the atomic level. If objects have a magnetic
field set at a certain frequency and amplitude, creating a magnetic field with the same
characteristics in opposite phase should then cancel out the magnetic field of the object.
In the same way as Thingogram v.4 is intended to acoustically levitate an object, I am
sure the same can be applied to magnetism. However, working with high-frequency
magnetic fields requires tools that I don't yet have access to and large electromagnets
require high voltages. That said, I hope to collaborate with physicists in the near future
to create art in the medium of magnetism and construct invisible art structures with
observable effects.
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